The 8800GT up close: 

     Technically, the card is only a single slot solution. However, the cooler will occupy enough space that using the expansion slot immediately next the card may not be possible with all setups. As we usually say with all of our video card projects, it's a very good idea to leave the slot next to the video card open for optimal ventilation.

     The Zalmam cooler is mounted at four points using metal springs and a screw headed fitted with a Philips slot. The cooler is very easy to remove so you can replace this and adapt your own cooler later.

     I tried to remove the cooler and get a picture of the GPU core but the thermal interface material used was was very thick and quite hardened. It took considerable effort to clean the material from both the GPU and the heatsink. In fact, the cleaning process left the GPU so scratched, that a photograph at that point was pretty much useless.  So, a new layer of thermal paste was applied and the cooler reattached.

     A splash of color has been added to the business end of the card. Dust caps are even provided by Gigabyte to keep debris out of the connectors until you're ready to use them. Even the SLI pins ( top left) are given a protective cap.

     Video card performance can be affected by almost all of the components in your system. Depending on your actual processor and memory combination, the standard Your Mileage May Vary disclosure applies.

Intro & Specs The 8800GT Up Close The Test System Testing Part 1 Testing Part 2 Testing - 3DMark06 Testing - 3DMark Vantage Overclocking Conclusion